People & Culture
Recently, Kates-Boylston Publications sat down with Chptr Founder and CEO Rehan Choudhry to discuss the inspiration, planning, and impact behind #TheFirstCall, the campaign that transformed Times Square into a 15-minute public tribute honoring funeral directors and deathcare professionals from across the country.
In the interview, Choudhry shares how an unexpected career pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic led him into funeral service, the profound lessons he has learned from the profession, and why creating greater visibility for funeral professionals has become a central part of Chptr's mission.
Read the full story here: https://www.kates-boylston.com/american-funeral-director/15-minutes-that-mattered/article_28c25567-bd0d-4001-bf7a-9d8e9f8100c2.html
Key Takeaways
#TheFirstCall began with a simple desire to say thank you
According to Choudhry, the idea originated during the pandemic after witnessing both the public recognition healthcare workers received and the largely unseen work funeral professionals were performing behind the scenes.
As Chptr grew within funeral service, he became increasingly aware of how little the public understood about the role funeral directors play in supporting families during moments of loss. #TheFirstCall was created to help change that perception while publicly thanking funeral professionals for their service.
What started as a small idea quickly became a profession-wide effort
When the opportunity arose to secure a 15-minute takeover of the billboards surrounding Times Square, the Chptr team knew immediately who the moment should be dedicated to.
Despite having only 20 days to organize the event, industry partners including Homesteaders, Tribute Technology, and the National Funeral Directors Association quickly rallied around the initiative. Funeral professionals, families, friends, and supporters from across the country embraced the campaign and helped turn an ambitious idea into reality.
The goal was recognition, not promotion
From the beginning, Choudhry says the campaign was designed to feel deeply personal.
Rather than serving as a marketing initiative, #TheFirstCall was intended to be a public expression of gratitude for funeral professionals who rarely receive public acknowledgment for their work. The team wanted funeral directors to experience the kind of celebration typically reserved for athletes, entertainers, and public figures.
Most importantly, they wanted funeral professionals to feel seen.
The profession's response exceeded every expectation
Initially, organizers expected a relatively modest gathering in Times Square.
Instead, more than 155 people attended in person while over 18,000 viewers tuned in online. As images of more than 140 funeral professionals appeared across the screens, attendees cheered, hugged, pointed out colleagues and friends, and celebrated one another.
The emotional response continued long after the event ended, with social media filling with photos, reflections, and messages from funeral professionals who described feeling appreciated, recognized, and proud of their work.
The event highlighted the power of visibility
One of the most memorable aspects of the evening was the reaction from passersby.
People stopped to ask questions, learn more about the profession, and understand why funeral professionals were being celebrated. For Choudhry, those conversations represented an important part of the campaign's broader purpose: increasing public awareness of funeral service and helping communities better understand the role funeral professionals play during life's most difficult moments.
This is only the beginning
The interview concludes by looking ahead to the future of #TheFirstCall.
Building on the momentum of the Times Square campaign, Chptr plans to expand its efforts through additional celebrations, storytelling initiatives, media integrations, and television partnerships designed to spotlight funeral professionals nationwide.
According to Choudhry, the mission remains unchanged: create greater visibility, appreciation, and public recognition for the people who help families when they need it most.
Why This Matters
The success of #TheFirstCall reflects a larger conversation taking place across funeral service.
For generations, funeral professionals have served families quietly and compassionately, often without public recognition despite the profound impact they have on the communities they serve. The response to the campaign demonstrated not only the appreciation that exists for this work, but also the desire for greater visibility and understanding of the profession.
As funeral homes continue exploring new ways to connect with their communities, storytelling and public engagement are becoming increasingly important tools for education, awareness, and trust-building.
More than a celebration, #TheFirstCall served as a reminder that funeral professionals matter deeply to the families they serve, the communities they support, and the profession they continue to strengthen every day.
As the campaign's closing message declared, this is just the beginning.
